


After the Storm

by Kiraly



Category: Stand Still Stay Silent
Genre: Also most of the characters are asleep for the entire thing, But they're mentioned so I included them, Dream World, F/M, Fluff, Only kind of shippy, comfort cuddles, not honestly sure if it's shippy or gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 17:03:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6123432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiraly/pseuds/Kiraly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Recent events have Tuuri and Reynir seeking comfort in unusual places, both waking and sleeping.</p>
            </blockquote>





	After the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> This was written and takes place right after [page 480](http://sssscomic.com/comic.php?page=480) of the comic. I imagine it's significantly different from what will actually happen in-comic, but I felt the need to write it anyway. (Probably because my reaction to anything scary is to make fluffy fic and/or art instead, haha.)

Tuuri slumped against the wall. She thought about sliding down and sitting on the floor, just for a minute, but she knew if she did that she probably wouldn’t get up again. Now that the adrenaline had worn off, her energy was fading fast. She should try to stay awake so _someone_ was on watch, but...the deep breaths of the rest of the crew made it hard to resist the siren song of sleep.

_Maybe I should lay down and close my eyes for a while. I’m not sure I could even do anything if a troll clawed its way in, at this point._

She’d parked the tank in the middle of a burned-out area that might once have been a park, hoping that at least if anything found them they’d be able to make a quick getaway. Without a scout, they had no way of knowing for sure if the area was safe, but what other choice did they have? Even though Reynir’s “ghosts” were gone—which he’d assured her had something to do with an angry owl and her brother Onni, before he collapsed—Sigrun and Mikkel were still unconscious. Lalli wasn’t in much better shape. He’d woken just long enough to babble something about keeping out of the shadows and to “tell the foreign mage to keep his dog quiet” before slipping back into sleep. At least he wasn’t screaming any more.

For lack of any other direction, Tuuri and Emil had surrounded the tank with candles and hunkered down to wait for dawn. They couldn’t lift Mikkel enough to get him onto a bed, so they put him on the floor next to Lalli. And since that made for cramped quarters—Emil refused to leave Lalli’s side to sleep in his own bed—they put Sigrun on Emil’s bunk and Reynir on Tuuri’s. Once Emil stopped panicking, he’d fallen sound asleep with his head pillowed on Lalli’s chest. So that left Tuuri as the only one awake...for now.

Tuuri eyed Sigrun’s top bunk and found it wanting. She honestly wasn’t sure she _could_ get up there, tired as she was. But all the other beds were full, and there was no way she was going to sleep by herself in a different part of the tank. What she _wanted_ was to curl up in a heap with Onni and Lalli, like they used to do when she was little and one of them had a bad dream. Lalli was surrounded though, and no matter what Reynir said she knew Onni—or at least, his body—was all the way back in Mora. So she couldn’t have the physical comfort of family, but...maybe she could find it somewhere else.

 _I’m sure he won’t mind,_ she told herself as she tiptoed around sleeping bodies to get to her bunk, _and for all I know he won’t even notice. I could wake up before he does and no one will be the wiser._ Still, she couldn’t help but feel a certain amount of embarrassment when she crawled into bed with Reynir. _Oh well. After everything that’s happened, waking up next to me will be the least strange thing that’s happened to him all day._ Or so she told herself. In any case, Tuuri was too exhausted to care. She stretched out next to Reynir and tugged the blanket over her, then let sleep pull her under.

* * *

 

The dream world no longer felt like a safe haven. The air buzzed with anxiety—whether from Reynir’s own mind or some outside source, he couldn’t say. Even the animals, usually a soothing reminder of home, were agitated. The sheep milled about, bleating in distress, and instead of calming them down the dog nipped at their flanks and skittered at shadows. Reynir himself was too restless to stay still. He was weary; holding off the ghosts had taken a lot out of him. But he felt in his bones that he wouldn’t get the kind of rest he needed if he stayed here.

The outer dream, the part that looked liked an ocean covered in mist, was quiet. No ghosts, no monsters, no Finnish mages to follow. So Reynir followed his feet instead. Every step took him farther from the chaos of his own mind, and the relief was so strong he could almost taste it. _But I can’t stay out here forever. It’s not safe._ So he let the mage instincts he barely understood stretch out around him, searching for somewhere that was.

When Reynr found it, he hesitated at the border. From what he’d seen from the two Finnish mages, he had a feeling it was rude to walk into someone else’s dream space without asking. But he couldn’t see anyone to ask. Maybe no one was home right now. Either way, it was probably better to go in before a troll showed up and tried to eat him. He could apologize later.

The place certainly _seemed_ deserted. It was as quiet as the dream ocean surrounding it, but peaceful rather than ominous. There were no lonely cliffs or noisy sheep here, only broad fields of tall brown grass dotted with little flowers. A faint breeze ruffled his hair and rustled through the grass, but otherwise it was still. Reynir heaved a sigh and walked deeper into the dream. _I don’t know whose haven this is, but I’m glad it’s here. I hope I get a chance to thank them._ He was so busy looking up at the soft grey sky and distant trees that he didn’t see the dreamer until he nearly tripped over her.

“Tuuri!” Reynir stumbled backwards, arms windmilling to keep from falling. His exclamation had no effect on Tuuri. She slept in the grass, smiling a little in her sleep. Once the shock of seeing her wore off, Reynir smiled too.

“So this is your dream! It’s nice, but I wonder why you’re asleep? Your cousin and brother are always awake when I find their dreams. I guess...maybe it doesn’t work if you aren’t a mage?” He settled down next to her on the grass. “It’s too bad, though. Your dream is lovely. It’s a shame you don’t get to see it.”

Tuuri didn’t answer, but he thought she smiled a little brighter when he spoke. Carefully, he reached for her hand. “Ah, well. Maybe I can tell you about it when I wake up. I should probably apologize for intruding on your dream, even if you don’t know I’m here.” He lay back in the grass and twined his fingers with Tuuri’s. He’d never be brave enough to do that when they were awake, but here it felt right, somehow. It was a comfort, just like everything in Tuuri’s dream world. _This is what I was looking for,_ he realized. _It’s safe here. She’s safe, solid, warm. An anchor in this ocean of dreams._ He let the scent of grass and the cool breeze wash over him, and finally felt himself relax.

* * *

 

At first Reynir thought the dream had shifted. He was still lying next to Tuuri, but they weren’t in the field of dry grass anymore. They were squeezed into one of the narrow bunks in the back of the tank, and the rest of the crew lay sprawled on the other beds or the floor. Also, he wasn’t holding Tuuri’s _hand_ , he seemed to be holding _her._ She had her head tucked under his chin and her face pressed against his shoulder, and he had his arm wrapped around her like it was the most natural thing in the world. _If this is a dream, I’m not sure I want to wake up._

The longer he lay there, the less certain he was that it actually _was_ a dream. The tank was its usual dingy self, and the other crew members were making their usual sleep sounds. Come to think of it, he’d never been in a dream that had more than two other people in it. And which one of them would have _this_ for a dream world? Not Tuuri or Lalli; he’d seen theirs. Mikkel? Sigrun? No. It didn’t seem right for any of them.

Then Tuuri stirred in his arms, and Reynir realized the truth. _This isn’t a dream at all! I’m awake!_ And Tuuri was about to be.

Reynir held his breath and tried not to panic. _How did I get here? The last thing I remember is the huge ghost, and calling for help...then the owl showed up._ The owl which hadn’t really been an owl, but Tuuri’s brother wearing an owl shape. By then Reynir had been so sunk in fear that he wasn’t sure if he was awake or dreaming; all he’d known was that death was coming, and soon. The owl swooped in and saved them, rending the ghosts with its talons, then chanting words Reynir didn’t understand that dispelled them altogether. When the ghosts were all gone, so was the owl. And after that...nothing, until he woke up in his own agitated dream space. _Did I somehow sleepwalk while I was dreaming? Maybe when I found Tuuri’s dream I ended up in her bed too! Oh no! How am I going to explain that? She doesn’t even believe I’m a mage._

It was too late to think of an explanation, and far too late to get away—if it was even possible to get away without waking her up. Tuuri shifted again and muttered something into Reynir’s shoulder. Then her eyes popped open.

“Hmm...wha...where…” she blinked a few times, then went very still. Reynir was trying to look at her without her seeing him, but she’d clearly noticed. “Oh.” The word came out soft, and Tuuri’s face flooded with red. Reynir was sure his was doing the same.

Before he could think of anything to say, Tuuri whispered, “Sorry. I’d sort of hoped I’d wake up first. I can—I should get up and let you go back to sleep, or—”

Reynir tightened his arm without thinking. “Wait, no, it’s...don’t get up. You’ll wake everyone else. But...umm...how did this...did we…?” He didn’t know how to finish the question. _She’s...not surprised to find me here. Which means...she knew._

It was a good thing they were so close, because Tuuri’s voice was barely loud enough to be called a whisper now. “So...I...Emil and I put everyone to bed, but then all the beds were full and Sigrun’s bed was all the way up there, and I…” she broke off and turned her face away, but not before Reynir caught the last remnants: “...I didn’t want to be all alone.”

Guided by some instinct he hadn’t known he had—maybe it was another mage thing?—Reynir brought a hand up and rubbed the back of Tuuri’s head. “It’s okay,” he murmured into her hair. “I didn’t want to be alone either.”

The faintest hint of a laugh escaped from Tuuri. “Maybe, but you didn’t really have a choice. You kind of just...collapsed when whatever magic thing happened.”

 _Magic._ Had she seen it? Did she know what it meant? He thought he remembered saying something to her about Onni, but it was all a blur. “Umm...about what happened,” he began.

Tuuri shook her head. “Unless we need to do something right now, it can wait until the others wake up. We’re all exhausted, we can’t do anything in this state. But...I do think I owe you an apology.”

Reynir was so surprised he pulled back to stare at her. “What? Why?”

Tuuri propped herself up on an elbow. The tuft of hair at the front of her face was sticking out in all directions, and for an instant Reynir could almost hear the wind brushing the dry grass of her dreams again. The moment passed, but her next words only added to his surprise. “I should have believed you when you told me you were a mage. You really are, aren’t you?”

Whatever he’d been expecting her to say, it wasn’t that. “Umm...yes? I seem to be? Only I don’t really know...anything. How did you...why do you believe me now? How much did you see?”

Tuuri sighed. “Not much, honestly. Onni and Lalli got all the mage gifts in our family. But you were obviously fighting...something. And Lalli said something about ‘the foreign mage’, and you said something about Onni and an owl.” She paused for breath, her face completely serious. “Can you remember what made you say that?”

Reynir swallowed hard. It was going to sound crazy, but...maybe, this time, she would believe him. “I was fighting— _trying_ to fight these terrible ghosts. And then suddenly an owl was there, but it wasn’t really an owl. It was...your brother. Don’t ask me how I knew that!” he added, shrugging his shoulders, “but it was him. He’s the one who sent the ghosts away and saved us. Why...what does that have to do with me being a mage?”

A wrinkle of worry etched Tuuri’s forehead. “Oh, no, poor Onni! I can’t believe he was brave enough to do that.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what you know about Finland, but we have these...spirits...called luontos. It’s like an animal, but not quite, and powerful mages can take their forms sometimes. Onni’s luonto is an owl.” She looked down at the space between them. “There’s no way you could have known that unless you saw him. Or unless Lalli told you, but why would he? And _how_ would he? So,” she finished, “all that leaves is what you’ve been trying to tell me. You’re a mage. I’m sorry I didn’t listen.”

“It’s okay,” Reynir said. The words came out automatically, but when he stopped to think about it they were true. Up until now, she’d had no reason to believe him. And now that she did, maybe the whole mage thing would get a little easier. Which reminded him, there was something he needed to do.

“I owe you an apology too, actually,” he confessed.

Tuuri raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

 _Oh, please let her believe this._ “Well...you know how I said I didn’t want to be alone? I kind of...wandered into your dream space. Just now.”

Tuuri’s eyes went wide. “You can do that? I always thought—Onni said it couldn’t be done, for someone who wasn’t a mage. How did you know it was mine?”

“You were there. You were...sleeping. In your dream.” He covered his face with a hand. “That sounds completely ridiculous, doesn’t it?”

Gentle fingers pulled his hand away. “No, it makes sense. I’ve never seen my dream space, so I must always be asleep there.” A wistful expression flitted across her face. “What was it like? I’ve always wondered.”

“It was...nice. Peaceful. Lots of grass and flowers, a little wind. Hills and trees, but far away. I felt...very safe.” There was one other thing. Should he tell her? Tuuri was still holding his hand. Reynir turned his so their palms were touching, and, ever-so-gently, squeezed. “I...held you hand there, too. In your dream. I hope you don’t mind.”

Tuuri squeezed his hand in return. “I don’t.” She moved closer, rested her head against his chest. Her breath danced across his collarbone, and Reynir’s heart sped up.

“And...you aren’t mad at me for...invading your dream?” he managed. It was hard to talk with her so close. Hard to think.

He felt her chuckle all the way up his arm, which had curled around her waist without his noticing. “No, I’m not. After, all, I’m the one who invaded your bed.” She sighed, and it was the same contented hum that ran through her dream world. “And...if you ever find yourself in my dream again...feel free to stay as long as you want. I’d like that.”

Some tension Reynir hadn’t known was there drained out of his chest. “All right. I’d...say the same for my bed, but...you know. This is actually your bed.”

Another laugh, softer this time. Tuuri was falling asleep again. Reynir let his head drop just enough to brush his lips to her hair. _Sweet dreams._  

* * *

 

 

Tuuri felt Reynir kiss the top of her head, but she pretended she didn’t. She just let the sensation linger as sleep crept closer.

_I know we have more to talk about. It...wasn’t precisely an accident that I chose this bed out of all of them. And then to find out that he wandered into my dream...I can’t believe it’s a coincidence. But it’s been a long day, and it won’t really be over until everyone wakes up. For now...it’s enough to be safe, and together. The rest will wait for tomorrow._

She slept then, and dreamed of summer wind blowing through grass.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm fascinated by the idea of different characters' dream worlds, especially the thoughts I've seen floating around the fandom about non-mages having dream spaces but not being "awake" in their dreams. Tuuri's dream space here is inspired by [this comic](http://mad-robin.tumblr.com/post/136420326075/little-what-if-thingy-what-if-non-mages-just) by the amazing mad-robin. Tuuri's dream space seems very peaceful and I imagine I would enjoy spending some time there.
> 
> Also, I know my luonto description is very vague/possibly inaccurate, but I figure Tuuri's trying to sum it up quickly and she's half-asleep. It gets the point across, right?


End file.
